World View & Market Commentary. Forest first; Trees second. Focused on Real & Knowable facts that filter through the "experts" fluff and media hyperbole. Where we've been, what the future may hold and developing a better way forward.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed halting high frequency and flash trading.

In response, Nasdaq (and others) are now prohibiting flash orders. Supposedly, the NYSE is also considering banning the practice.

This was a given. The real question that remains unanswered and demands a thorough investigation is this: WHAT EXCHANGE OFFICIALS APPROVED THIS? WHO BELIEVED THAT ALLOWING FAVORED FIRMS TO FRONT RUN OTHER INVESTORS WAS OK?

Quite bluntly, the clueless dolts who allowed this to occur need to be publicly excoriated, fired from their job as exchange officials, and driven out of town on a rail. Oh, and, all the gains from this organized theft should be clawed back from all the front-running firms that stole this money — THAT’S RIGHT, ITS THEFT — one quarter cent at a time. Put the recovered ill-gotten gains into the SIPIC fund that compensates investors who have been defrauded by their stock brokers.

Stop for a moment to consider what sort of massive disregard for the investing public is required to permit this kind of trading. The sheer hubris that finds no problem in this exchange permitted encouraged theft is hard to fathom.

One of the problems with the most recent crisis is that there have been no shaming of the responsible parties, no disgorgement of ill gotten gains, no perp walks. We need to change that pronto.

As I have noted many times in the past, I am a big believe in being a counter-cyclical spender. I try not to buy stuff when the economy is on fire and everything is overpriced. I don’t believe in using excess credit (Like these folks that ended up having their boats repo-ed)

This year, I have been selectively shopping for , and occasionally buying, whatever I thought was priced right — especially distressed merchandise.

Just a few weeks ago, while Chairman Bernanke was testifying to Congress, we examined the Fed balance sheet and P&L statement only to find what looked like the Fed handing over half a trillion dollars to foreigners. This was very surprising! When I asked Chairman Bernanke if this was true, he said, “Yes.” When I asked him who got the money, he said, “Fourteen foreign Central Banks.” And when I asked to who did they give the money, he said, “I don’t know.” “I don’t know” is not good enough when you’re talking about $500 billion. That’s $1700 for every man, woman, and child in this country...